Jamaican Chicken Soup With Dumplings

This vibrant and flavorful Jamaican chicken soup is as comforting as a meal can get. Plus, it's made with all fresh ingredients, and it really tastes like no other homemade chicken soup recipe out there!

THE BEST JAMAICAN CHICKEN SOUP

This Jamaican chicken soup is an incredibly versatile and easy-to-make dish that will warm you up from the inside out. 

And this homemade chicken soup isn't your ordinary sick day soup. It's hearty, fresh, comforting, and packs a flavorful punch that will have you wanting more with each bite!

Having said that, along with the chicken and fresh veggies - which is a part of basically every classic chicken soup recipe - this Jamaican chicken soup recipe also includes Jamaican spinners, also known as dumplings. They are tender, doughy bites of tastiness that really take this soup to another level. 

By the way, if you want the best soup experience, I highly suggest making these Jamaican fried dumplings to dip into the soup!

Ingredients

As I alluded to earlier, this recipe is comprised of healthy, wholesome ingredients that not only taste delicious but are super good for you too!

Here's everything you'll need for the soup:

• 1 lb chicken I used thighs, cut into chunks
• 5 cups water
• ½ butternut squash, chopped
• 1 medium potato, chopped
• ½ Chocho (chayote), chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 6 sprigs of thyme
• ¼ cup Scotch bonnet (or red bell peppers)
• 8 pimento berries (or 1 tablespoon all spice)
• ¼ cup cock soup mix (or chicken broth)

And for the Jamaican spinners (dumplings):

• 1 cup of gluten free flour 
• ¼ cup water 
• ½ teaspoon pink salt

Now, I know this recipe uses some not-so-common ingredients, but there are substitutes for them that you should easily be able to find at the store. And getting everything you need is totally worth the flavor that they create!

And if you're headed to the store, you might as well grab the ingredients to make this rasta pasta recipe with jerk chicken or this mangu recipe next!

How to make Jamaican chicken soup 

Making this chicken soup is a delightfully simple process that can keep your family fed for multiple meals! And although it will take about an hour, the result is well worth it.

Get ready to dive into an entirely new world of fresh, fun, and flavorful. So get the ingredients ready, and let's get cooking!

Step 1: Prep Work

First, take out the largest stock pot you have, fill it with water, and bring it to a boil.

Then add the chicken, half of the squash, and the pimento berries to the pot and leave it to boil for 30 minutes. And be sure to give it a stir once in a while to skim any foam that develops on the top of the boiling water. 

Step 2: Making The Spinners

While that is boiling, begin making the dumplings. 

First, put the flour and salt in a medium-sized bowl, adding small amounts of water at a time. You may need to add more or less water depending on the flour. You want to end up with a dough that you can easily form with your hands.

Now mix the flour and water into a dough bowl, pinch off golf ball-sized amounts of dough, and roll it with your hands into a log shapes to create the spinners.

Step 3: Cooking the soup

Once all of the dough is turned into spinners, add them to the boiled pot of soup along with the rest of the squash, chocho, potatoes, carrots, thyme, cock soup mix, and scotch bonnet.

Then cover it and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes to fully immerse and blend all of the flavors. 

Pour the soup into bowls and serve hot with fresh thyme, scallions, and any other toppings that you'd like. Enjoy!

How to store Jamaican chicken soup 

This recipe will make about 6 hearty servings of soup. So it should be plenty for a family dinner with everyone having the opportunity to grab seconds.

Or if you're making it for two or yourself to have for dinner or lunch for the week, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. 

How to Reheat Chicken Soup

If you want to reheat your soup, the quickest way is in the microwave for about 1 minute or until warm.

But my preferred method is putting the soup back in a pot on the stovetop over medium heat. Make sure to stir it occasionally and only heat until warmed.

FAQ's About this Jamaican chicken soup recipe

Where can I find the Jamaican ingredients for this soup? 

I know some of the ingredients may be difficult to find at your traditional grocery store, but you can often find them at health food stores such as Sprouts or larger grocery chains such as Kroger. And you can order some of them off of Amazon.

Or, you can use the substitutions for the hard-to-find ingredients, and the soup will be just as delicious!

Can I use fresh or canned squash? 

Either type of squash works perfectly fine! Fresh squash offers a more present texture and vibrant, squash-like flavor, while canned is smoother and more muted. It's up to your preference! 

Will regular broth work if I can't find cock mix? 

You can definitely use regular broth. However, I suggest using chicken broth or bouillon for the best flavor.

Wrapping It All Up

That is how to make Jamaican chicken soup that is such a delicious change-up from typical homemade chicken soup.

It's filled with chicken, hearty veggies, tender dumplings, and plenty of flavor. This soup is ideal for sick days, snow days, family dinner, and any day that calls for hot, flavorful, comfort food. 

I hope you enjoy this Jamaican recipe as much as I do. If you make it, let us know what you think by leaving a comment below!  

EASY SOUP RECIPES

If you love soups and want to give some easy soup recipes a try next, here are a few of our favorites:

• Jamaican rice and peas
• Outback Steakhouse potato soup
• Crack chicken noodle soup
• Split pea soup
• French onion soup
• Clam Chowder

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